As the commercial world becomes increasingly technology-dependent, there is an ever-growing demand for higher-tech security. This need is currently being addressed by identification systems that utilize security factors, such as tokens or smart cards. The most common application of an identification system is for an access control system, or ACS. Security factor options have been expanded by the field of biometrics, based on the measurement and analysis of biological characteristics, such as fingerprints. Until recently, the costliness and unreliability of biometric readers has been prohibitive to their wide spread commercial use. Now, with advances in biometric technology, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,485, increased fidelity of identification has been attained for biometric factors, which are capable of providing a highly individualized and complex form of identification that may be used as the only factor in an identification system, or with multi-factor identification systems that utilize biometric factors. However, the cost-effectiveness of completely replacing an already established token-based identification system has proven to be an obstacle to implementing and using new biometric security systems. Thus, the invention presented in this specification is intended to demonstrate viable options for efficiently coupling an organization""s already established token-based identification system to a biometric identification system.
Token-based identification systems utilize a token presented by a user as a factor that is either entered manually or automatically into a token reader. Examples of tokens include PIN codes and proximity cards. By contrast, biometric identification systems use biometric factors, most commonly fingerprints. Fingerprints have long been recognized as a unique biological topography that is difficult to counterfeit, is readily accessible, does not significantly change over time, and can effectively be converted into a biometric template that functions as a digital signature specific for each individual user. Most biometric identification systems are automatic fingerprint identification systems, or AFIS.
The current invention is a method of augmenting the capabilities of an established, token-based identification system and increasing the level of security available by introducing at least one biometric factor, preferably a fingerprint. In the token-based identification system, when a token reader acquires a token factor from a user, the token reader transmits the acquired token factor information through a data stream to a control panel. The control panel is capable of matching or rejecting the acquired token factor, resulting in positive identification of an authorized user, or rejection of an unidentifiable user, respectively. In an ACS, the control panel then initiates an electronic signal that allows the authorized user to access a secured property, such as a building, parking garage, phone, computer, database, financial account, or other protected objects, places or information stores.
The augmentation method of the present invention couples a biometric identification system to an established token-based identification system in order to increase the level of security by preventing access via the token-based identification system until the biometric factor is matched to positively identify an authorized user at the level of a biometric search engine component. In all embodiments of the augmentation method of the present invention, the control panel of the established token-based identification system remains in a substantially unaltered state.